The first day of your job is not very hard

You arrive at the office after a brief drive, they are very eager for the extra hands and you get shown about by a middle aged man called Rob. He looks a bit overweight but his build makes you think that he was quite fit when he was younger.

He shows you briefly around and then gets you to your cubicle, the work starts slow, it’s pretty brainless the work you are doing, as you are helping with digitization of a cellar full of documents you and another temp employee. It gets run through some program, but you have to go over stuff that gets flagged and correct it if the program gets it wrong.

It’s a steady stream of things, but not overwhelming, but the lunch break is a welcomed after a few hours of the repetitive task, you are happy to get a mental break, but quickly realize that you aren’t going to get one after you get some vending machine grub and join break room.

Rob first grills the other new temp hire, about where he’s from, what he did before asking about his personal life then he turns toward you, as many of the workers look on he first asks the typical stuff then ends with a little bit of a personal question:

“Single or in a relationship, if I may ask?”

You think about Jane, smile and say without thinking too much: “Happily in a relationship, with my girlfriend Jane.”

“Oh, like the model.” he asks as the room nods their heads, making you realize you are smiling a bit too much.

“Actually it is her.” you say as you awkwardly rub the back of your head.

There is a brief pause, then the room erupts into laughter, you stand there shocked until Rob stops as he dries tears from his eye’s and says: “Ha ha, you know what, you are alright newbie.”

“What?! I am telling the truth!” you say kind of hurt.

“Yeah sure, let me guess, she lives just over the border in another town.” Rob says, and the room erupts again.

“Look I can…” then you stop, when you realize that you don’t have any way to prove it, there are no pictures of you and Jane together on your phone, but you can send her a quick message, which you do, but don’t get a reply.

You look at you coworkers a bit embarrassed, but realize that it looks a bit weird a guy claiming what you are claiming, and it would be a bit funny.

Rob walks over to you gives you a friendly tap on the shoulder and says: “If I was going to be in a fake relationship with someone, I would also choose her, aim high is what I always say. Now seeing that you survived the office third degree, let me buy you both desserts, I can see that you are both going to be a great fit in here.”

You realize you and the other temp worker just went through the office hazing, and after that everyone seems to be much more friendly towards you, but you get an annoying nickname “The secret boyfriend”, but you see the humor in it because its all in a friendly manner and you and the other temp get invited to a happy hour later that week.

You get back to your desk and dive into work yet again.